Good question, PM. In the long run, I don't know. I have always believed it was God's will for us to be together in the committed relationship we shared. It's always possible His will is something else, and that will take some discernment.
I do know it's not God's will for her to be caught up in this affair, because that's never His will. But that's not my issue... it's hers. And even when we find ourselves in the worst circumstances of our own choosing, it's always God's will for us to grow and become better people for it. I've been reading The Imitation of Christ again, and it reminds me that suffering works to our good if we let it. So that's where I am right now in all of this, in terms of His will.
The will of God - His good, pleasing, and perfect will - is that we should be conformed to the image of His son, the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom.8:29). So that in everything that happens…ALL that happens, whether you reconcile and restore your marriage with your wife or not, this question remains: “Am I submitting my mind to the truth of Scripture in such a way that I am proving the fact that the will of God is good, pleasing, and perfect?" (That’s Romans chapter 12 verse 2: ” Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern and PROVE what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”)
So what is His will for you tomorrow? Get up and go to work. Get up and do the next thing. Get up and make sure that you DISCERN God’s will, and you discern what is pleasing to the Lord. How do you do that? By bringing the truth of the Bible to bear upon the circumstances of your life. How do I discover what God’s will is? By reading my Bible.
It is His will for me that I am holy. It is His will for me that I live in purity. It is His will for me that I rejoice evermore. It is his will for me that, if I am married, I love my wife as Christ loves the church. These things are all absolutely clear.
Now…KNOWING all that and applying it…THAT is the challenge...to do everything, EVERYTHING as though you were doing it for the Lord and His glory (Col.3:23). THAT is His will for you no matter what circumstance you ever find yourself in.
It sounds like you are doing well and on the right path, and that is encouraging to me.
-PM
M:12y - BD:12/11 - D:6/13 - 4Ds
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." -MLK Jr.
